about the festival on page 11. For full listings go to list.co.uk
and-white – focuses on a week in the life of the great poet as he prepares for a series of performed readings in the US. Featuring stellar performances from co-writer Celyn Jones as Thomas and Elijah Wood as John Malcolm Brinnin, and an accomplished original score by Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), this is a playful, humorous and moving snapshot of one of the world’s most beloved poets. Also Tue 24 Jun. Odeon Lothian Road. 8.50pm. Life May Be Cineworld. 8.20pm. Two filmmakers carry on a correspondence in the form of essayistic films in which they consider some themes that are at the core of their personal and artistic lives: exile, the body, representation. As each filmed letter responds and spirals off from the previous one, the film becomes increasingly fervent and complex, interrogating the artistic process and identity itself. A free and bold film that unites two EIFF veterans: Mania Akbari (From Tehran to London) and Mark Cousins (A Story of Children and Film). Also Sat 21 Jun. Filmhouse. 8.30pm.
Tue 24 Jun
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case Cineworld. 6.20pm. Following his 2011 arrest by Chinese authorities, artist Ai Weiwei spent 81 days in solitary confinement. He was then released but put under house arrest and banned from exhibiting his work in China. But art prevailed: through Ai’s own new sculptural series portraying his imprisonment and this compelling documentary from Danish director Andreas Johnsen, who spent a year with Ai and shared not only the stress and anguish he went through but also the moments of joy and solidarity. Also Fri 27 Jun. Cineworld. 8.30pm.
A Dangerous Game Cineworld. 8.35pm. Luxury golf courses benefit a few and hurt the rest of us. This follow-up to the award-winning You’ve Been Trumped takes up where the previous film left off with the saga of American billionaire property developer Donald Trump’s incursion into Scotland. Filmmaker Anthony Baxter journeys to Croatia and the United States to probe the disastrous environmental effects of the development of luxury golf courses. Then he returns to Scotland to confront Trump. You won’t stay on the fence on the issue after this hard- hitting documentary. Also Sat 28 Jun. Cineworld. 3.30pm. Wed 25 Jun
Hero Hangout: Elijah Wood Royal Lyceum Theatre. 8.30pm. An acclaimed child actor, Elijah Wood has spent more than 25 years in front of the camera. Wildly revered for his highest profile role, Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, he recently turned his attention to producing, while continuing a huge variety of screen roles. He joins the EIFF to support Andy Godard’s Set Fire to the Stars. Joe Filmhouse. 8.40pm. Ex-con Joe (Nicholas Cage) works as foreman of a group of forestry workers
and lives a quiet life alone with his dog. When he meets troubled young boy Gary (Tye Sheridan), he reflectively extends the hand of guidance and friendship; however, the price of his well-intentioned intervention proves to be high. Fresh from the success of Prince Avalanche, David Gordon Green harnesses a powerhouse performance from Cage, electrifying the dark, poignant second instalment of his Indie Trilogy. Also Sat 28 Jun. Filmhouse. 6pm. Thu 26 Jun
Billion Dollar Brain Filmhouse. 4pm. In his loose adaptation of Len Deighton’s spy thriller, John McGrath and maverick directorial talent Ken Russell deliver a sprawling OTT adventure that some audiences found baffling at the time but has since attracted a cult following. Russell’s visual flair is well to the fore, but he also allows the conventions of the cinema spy story to keep things bubbling nicely along. Life After Beth Cineworld. 6.20pm. Broken-hearted after the death of his girlfriend Beth, Zach is initially delighted to be given another chance when she returns from the dead. However, as we all know, relationships with zombies are never straightforward, and very soon Zach and the rest of the townsfolk are fighting for their lives. Proving that sometimes we should be careful what we wish for, this hilarious zombie relationship comedy features a superb cast, a haunting original score by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and endless laugh-out-loud moments scattered throughout its excellent fantasy elements. Also Fri 27 Jun. Filmhouse. 8.30pm.
A Practical Guide to a Spectacular Suicide Odeon Lothian Road. 8.30pm. Tom is intent on killing himself . . . but he’s not very good at it. After several failed attempts, he winds up in sessions with the disinterested psychologist Dr Watson, while plotting the spectacular suicide. You might find yourself rooting for Tom as he is challenged in the most unexpected ways by the obtuse, faintly hostile and persistently unusual relationships that form against his will – until you remember what his goal is. Sarcasm and bona fide Scottish humour are the order of the day in this straight- talking, incisive and ultimately warm- hearted take on the darkest of subjects. Also Tue 24 Jun. Filmhouse. 8.30pm. Concrete Clouds (Pavang rak) Cineworld. 8.50pm. When his father commits suicide, Mutt leaves New York, where he works as a currency trader, to come home to a Bangkok in the midst of the 1997 economic meltdown. He rekindles a relationship with Sai, the object of his affections from high-school days, now facing the failure of her marketing career. Meanwhile, Mutt’s younger brother, Nic, is in love with a young woman who is drifting into prostitution. An inventive and warmly human directorial debut from ace editor Lee Chatamatikool. Also Sat 28 Jun. Cineworld. 6.20pm.
Fri 27 Jun
Tony Benn: Will and Testament Filmhouse. 6pm. Throughout this vivid portrait of a man whose career transcended politics, Tony Benn reviews the triumphs and the upsets of his personal and his private life, from his fight to retain his seat in the House of Commons after his elevation to the peerage, to his championship of the 1971–72 Upper Clyde Shipbuilders’ work-in, to his battles with a hostile mainstream press. The long-time Labour MP participated in the making of this moving and informative tribute shortly before his death in March 2014. ‘Til Madness Do Us Part (Feng Ai) Filmhouse. 3.30pm. In a dilapidated mental institution in southwestern China, a motley group of inmates spend their lives shuttling between dormitory rooms and a spartan common space. Some of them are there because they are truly mentally ill; others perhaps have committed crimes or displeased some authority, or were denounced and abandoned by their families, or simply don’t fit in anywhere else. With great compassion and unflinching lucidity, Wang Bing immerses us in the lives of people who have been forgotten by society.
Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? Odeon Lothian Road. 8.30pm. This new work by the endlessly exploratory Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) is an inspired, hand-drawn animation set to a series of conversations between Gondry and philosopher / linguist Noam Chomsky. As Chomsky patiently recounts his life and discusses his views on language acquisition and memory, Gondry translates his words into a stream of playful, constantly morphing imagery. Great fun for both the eyes and the mind. Also Fri 20 Jun. Filmhouse. 6.10pm. Sat 28 Jun
Doc of the Dead Odeon Lothian Road. 6.15pm. Alexandre O Philippe, director of The People vs George Lucas and The Life and Times of Paul the Psychic Octopus, explores the history of the zombie in popular culture with clips galore and an impressive lineup of interviewees (including Simon Pegg, Bruce Campbell and, of course, George A Romero), and asks for tips from the experts on how to survive a zombie outbreak. Because, you know, it could really happen . . . Also Sat 21 Jun. Cineworld. 8.45pm. Castles in the Sky Cineworld. 6.10pm. Multi-award-winning director Gillies Mackinnon brings his expertise and skill to the fascinating story of visionary Scottish engineer and developer of radar, Robert Watson-Watt (Eddie Izzard). Credited as the invention that won the Battle of Britain, radar was a vague and underdeveloped concept before Watson-Watt was charged with proving its usefulness to a coastal nation at war. Ably supported by a strong cast, Izzard deftly evokes the spirit of the great man who was part mad scientist, part
dreamer, and part pragmatist. Also Mon 23 Jun. Filmhouse. 6.15pm. Sonic Spaces Filmhouse. 5.50pm. A diverse collection of films that asks us to consider the role of sound in the making and interpretation of images. How do the sounds we hear affect the way we perceive, and vice-versa? Featuring films by Deborah Stratman, Paul Clipson, Siegfried Fruhauf, Billy Roisz and Peter Snowdon. Ease yourself into Black Box Live with these gradually intensifying soundscapes.
A Most Wanted Man Cineworld. 8.45pm. Anton Corbijn’s sumptuously shot, impeccably structured adaptation of John le Carré’s 2008 bestselling novel is a thoroughly gripping tale set in the dangerous and dingy world of a post- 9/11 German intelligence unit. Tensions are high as unit head Günther Bachman (a truly accomplished performance by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) is drawn into a deadly web of intrigue and espionage on the streets of Hamburg. A captivating story full of twists and surprises, expertly performed by a thoroughly talented cast. Also Sun 22 Jun. Cineworld. 6pm. Sun 29 Jun
The Nut Job Edinburgh Festival Theatre. 1pm. Winter is coming and there’s a food shortage. The animals of Liberty Park, Oakton, are hungry. But there is hope: Maury’s Nut Store, a goldmine of food for all (including the wonder of peanut brittle). But how to get at it? It’s up to Surly the squirrel, Precious the pug and Buddy the rat to break into Maury’s and steal enough food for the whole park. But there’s more to this simple nut shop than meets the eye . . . The Japanese Dog (Câinele Japonez) Cineworld. 1pm. In rural southern Romania, after a devastating flood and the loss of his beloved wife, 80-year-old Costache stoically tries to rebuild his life from scratch. The unexpected visit of his estranged son, together with the latter’s Japanese wife and son, will shake his lonely everyday life. Featuring an impeccably delicate performance by Victor Rebengiuc, a veteran of Romanian cinema, and avoiding the traps of melodrama, newcomer Tudor Cristian Jurgiu offers an elliptical, touching meditation on loss, loneliness and regeneration. Also Sat 28 Jun. Cineworld. 8.40pm.
Closing Gala: We’ll Never Have Paris International Premiere. Edinburgh Festival Theatre. 5.30pm & 8.25pm. Simon Helberg wrote and stars in this eccentric and charming romantic comedy. Together with his wife Jocelyn Towne, the Big Bang Theory star also directed the film, which draws on the true story of how, in their case, the course of true love definitely did not run smooth. This brisk and very personal film boasts delightful performances from the whole cast. The dialogue is unusually smart and witty, and smooth direction sets everything off perfectly in a film as uproarious as it is cringe-inducing.
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